Conventionally, communication networks have ever increasing demands for higher data rates, faster switching times, and reduced operational expenses. For example, communication networks may be realized through interconnected network elements. The network elements include ingress/egress ports for various services along with switching and/or processing elements. The capacity of the network elements has scaled from 10 Gb/s to significantly more than 1 Tb/s in a single bay/frame of equipment. The same is true for supercomputers, data centers, cloud computing, and the like. In physically realizing a network element, supercomputer, etc. there are a plurality of modules with various interconnections therebetween via high-speed links. Conventionally, the links include an optimized set of configuration data that is applied to all the links statically during initialization. Each link may include one or more physical electrical link segments that may or may not be present all the time. The physical and electrical characteristics of these links vary widely at very high data speeds. However, a limited and static set of configuration parameters are used for all the links in the system. Conventional link initialization is a tedious process which is error prone, requires frequent changes (e.g., whenever there is a hardware change), includes no systematic turn up or shut down procedure, and the like. Further, conventional modes of operation also waste power as unused links are initialized in a same manner as used links therefore are always powered up regardless of use.